BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug 14 (Bernama) — The Brunei government is
setting up a company to oversee the development of a halal brand in
line with its move to be one of the major players of the halal brand
globally.

Besides halal certification, Brunei wants to develop a renowned
brand that can be recognised not only locally but also internationally
as a credible brand for quality halal products, said Normah S.H. Jamil,
acting director of the Agriculture Department of the Industry and
Primary Resources Ministry.

“We are in the process of establishing a company to manage the
brand. It will also help and become a springboard for our small and
medium entrepreneurs to promote and market their products to overseas
market,” she told Bernama on the sidelines of the Third International
Halal Products Expo 2008 here Thursday.

The department is the secretariat for the expo co-hosted by three
ministries — Industry and Primary Resources, Religious Affairs and
Healtfourh.

The four-day expo from today at the International Convention
Centre in Berakas showcases a wide range of halal products and services
from 180 local and foreign companies from 14 countries.

Earlier, the expo was opened by the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah. Present was his son Putera Mahkota Brunei Pengiran
Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah.

The Brunei Halal brand is a project initiated three years ago by the
Industry and Primary Resources Ministry with the cooperation of the
Brunei Islamic Religious Council, Religious Affairs Ministry and Health
Ministry.

Among objectives of the brand is to commit to the religious
obligations and to increase the number of halal food that can be
consumed by Muslims due to the emergence of varieties of products
containing non-halal raw materials and ingredients.

Normah said the Brunei Halal brand basically acts as a “passport”
for businesses to penetrate the world market besides serving as an
alternative revenue for the country besides oil and gas.

Brunei, an Islamic sultanate in the north-west of Borneo, with a
population of 380,000, solely depends on oil and liquefied natural gas
as the country’s main income.

However, the oil producing nation is gradually moving into a diversified economy, focusing on the halal industry and tourism.